Refrigerating apparatus



' Aug. 26, 1930. H. P. BRAEUTIGAM 1,774,312

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 3 l, 1930 2 Shun-Shut 1 Aug. 26, 1930. H. P. BRAEUTIGAM REFRIGERA'IING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ITORNE Y Patented Aug-"26, 1930 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY P. BRAEUTIGAM, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE nm'nrenn'nrme armmrus I Application filed March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,561.

This invention relates to refrigerating ap-' paratus and more particularly to domestic mechanically cooled'refrigerators provided with means for storing and preserving green vegetables or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide the mechanical refrigerator, for instanceof .the household type, with means for storing green vegetables so that their originalcrispness may be retained or restored.

Further objects and advantages of th Fig. 4 isa horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

.Fig. 5 is a side elevation, with parts broken away on a further enlarged scale, of

i the receptacle shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevatiom taken from the rear, of the receptacle and its support; Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the receptacle and its support;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ofda portion of the shelf and its support; an Y Fig. 9 is an elevation taken transversely to Fig. 8. v

A refrigerating apparatus embodying features of this inventionmay include a refrigcrating apparatus, generally designated as 20 which may be a mechanical refrigerator of the domestic type. Thus it may include a mechanical cooling unit, for instance of the evaporator type, generally designated as 21. This unit may be providedwith refrigerant which provides temperatures below the temperatures of melting ice. The refrigerator may. also include a cooling chamber or compartment 22 which may be provided with one or more shelves or devices 23 and 24.

These shelves 23 and 24 together with the lower horizontal wall of the compartment 20 form devices for supporting 'food in horizontal layers. In" a structure of this kind air circulates within the cooling chamber or compartment-22and passesin contact with the mechanical coolingunit 21. This action and subsequent reheating reduces the humidity or moisture content of the air to such an extent that articles placed in the compartment 22 are liable to have an injurious amount of moisture evaporated therefrom. This is particularly true with respect to een vegetables, such as lettuce, celery, radishes, carrots and the like.

Means may be provided in-the refrigerator for storing such vegetables as those enumerated above, so that their original crispness is maintained or restored. Thus a. receptacle 25 may :be provided, which receptacle includes a cover 26 so that the circulation of air between the receptacle and the compartment is materially reduced. Preferably the receptacle is adapted to be suspended under one of the shelves, for instance the shelf 23, and for this purpose. I

means for so suspending the shelf may be provided. This means may include slideways 26 which if desired may depend from and be attached to the shelf 23. Preferably the slideways may be constructed of wire members wrapped around, as shown at 27 and 28, to the front and, rear outer wires of the shelf. The wire maybe provided with .a downward and outward offset 29 permitting the receptacle 25 to slide into and out from under the shelf 23. The receptacle 25 preferably'is of sufiicient length to accommodate celery of ordinary length, and of sufficient width and depth to accommodate vegetables such as head lettuce or the like- Thus a receptacle of substantially 14 inches in length, 7 inches in width and 4 inches in depth has been found satisfactory.- The cover may be, though not necessarily,

separate from either. the receptacle 25 or the slideways 26 Preferably the receptacle. 25 is provided with an arcuate or rolled lip or flange 30 which is adapted to rest on the slideways 26!. This flange may have downwardly directed lip cut away at the rear corners in order to slide along the slideways 26. Preferably the cover 26 also is provided with a similar arcuate flange 31 adapted to extend around and rest upon the flange 30 and this flange 31 may be cut away at the corners in order to permit the cover to be removed with the receptacle without touching the slideways 26 and to permit the cover to be slid along the top of the receptacle to a partially open position andyet lie flat on the flanges 30. This construction provides a notch; 32 on the cover 26 and notch 33 on the receptacle 25,

at each of the rear corners as shown in Fig.

while it provides a notch 34 on the cover 26 and no notch is on the receptacle 25 at the front corners. The front of the receptacle 25 may have its flange 30 extended as shown at 35 to form a handle for pulling out the receptacle.

Ventilating means for providing a' restricted circulation between the inner part of the receptacle and the compartment 22 25 may be provided. This may be accomplished by providing one or more apertures 36 along the upper part of the receptacle 25. In a receptacle of the size above indicated, holes on each side of 3/8 inches in diameter have been found satisfactory.

Since some or all of the structures shown are preferably porcelain enameled, it is desirable to prevent contact between the receptacle and the lining 44 of the compartment 22. This may be accomplished b providing a bumper 37 whichmay be ma e of rubber and carried by countersunk bolt 38 at the rear of the receptacle 25.

Means for preventing the tilting of the 40 shelf- 23 when the receptacle 25 is partly or wholly withdrawn may be provided. Thus when the shelf 23 rests on hooklike members 40 the rear hook-like members may I be positively secured to the shelf. This may 5 be accomplished b v providing a metallic member 41 with a s ot 42throughwhich the I. hook 40 may be passed and the member 41 may then be bent over as shown at 43 around a portion of the shelf 23. This pr'eventsthe w shelf from tilting upwardly at the rear when the receptacle 25 extends in a Camilever position in a partially withdrawn position. t The preferred method of utilizing the reeeptacle 25 forthe-storing of vegetables is towash the vegetables and then while a certain amount of free moisture remains on vegetables to place the same in the receptacle v 25 under the shelf, 23 with the cover over the receptacle. It has been found that with the limited circulation through the ventilating means herein provided the original crispness of the vegeta les is retained or restored. The construction preferably is such that as with a cooling unit of the float controlled 0 permit the receptacle rangement of the t pe such as shown in the patent to R. G.

.sborn, No. 1,556,708, dated October 13, I 1925, and with the cooling unit maintained at substantially 20 F. so that the air circulating around the receptacle 25 is at 45? F. that satisfactory results are obtained if the ventilating means is proportioned and arranged to permit the dall evaporation of approximately one five hun redth by weight of the maximum vegetable content of thereceptacle 25. Thus if the rece tacle 25 is adapted to contain five pounds 0 vegetables, with the temperature conditions above indicated it has been found that one one hundredth of a pound of moisture may be evaporated daily from the contents of the recelp-' tacle and that under such conditions t e original crispness of the vegetables is retained or restored unless the vegetables have been unduly wilted so that their cells have been destroyed.

While the conditions and amount of evaporation herein stated give satisfactory re-' sults in the preservation of the original crispness of the vegetables for extended periods of time, it will be understood that the example given is merely illustrative and that the best proportion and arrangement of parts varies with the temperatures found in the refrigerator evaporator and compartment, the direction and force of the air circulation therein, the location of the receptacle, and also the nature of the contents of the receptacle. Since there is a variation in the moisture content of so-called wet foods and vegetables the conditions for their best preservation vary somewhat, those of greater moisture content being preserved better in an atmosphere of corres ndingly higher moisture content the conditions being generally favorable for food preservation, when the moisture content of the atmosphere is slightly less than the moisture content of the food so that the rate of loss of moisture from the food to the atmosphere is small.

In the case of assorted foods of different moisture content the proportion and ararts may as a practical matter be made suc as to provide an atmosphere within the receptacle of moisture content in the neighborhood or preferably slightly .less than the moisture content of that wet food having the lowest. moisture content, whereby themoisture loss, while difierentfor the different foods, is yet small as compared to the loss in the case of the same foods exposed to the cold comparative- 1y dry atmosphere of the refrigerator compartment.

The atmospheric or air conditions herein described as desirable within the receptacle for the preservation of foods may, for convenience, be herein referred to generally as a condition of moistureequilibrium. It will beunderstood that the condition of moisphere may deviate from that herein described as most favorable by modificationof the restricted ventilation to the receptacle,

and other factors, and that the benefits of the invention may be secured to varying degrees according to the extent to which the teachings thereof are embodied in the actual construction. Thus, increasing the circulation of air in the receptacle has the effect of reducing the moisture content of the air therein and of accelerating the loss of moisture from the food and consequently the drying thereof, and while there may be a considerable increase in circulation resulting for example in a reduction'of the time for the satisfactory preservation of wet foods from, say, four weeks to, say, two weeks, it is found that further increase of air circulation results in greater drying of food and generally unsatisfactory operation. On the other hand, a decrease in air circulation tends to give a condition of greater moisture content in the air of the receptacle, and while some variation may be made in this direction, the extent or percent thereof is much less than the permissible variation towards increased circulation, because increasing the moisture content of the air is likely to cause condensation of moisture on some of the foods and has the undesirable effect of accelerating bacteria and mold growth thus shortening the length of time for the satisfactory storage of food.

\Vhile the form of embodiment of the in vention as herein disclosed constitutes the preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming Ivithin the scope of the claims which folow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a refrigerating compartment, a refrigerating element in the compartment for being maintained at a temperature below 32 F. and for inducing a circulation of air in the compartment, and receptacle means for preserving vegetables including a pan portion disposed in the path of the circulating air to be cooled thereby and a cover portion therefor one of said portions being supported from the other in slidable relationship therewith, said receptacle means being provided with a vent so constructed and arranged as to provide a restricted circulation of air between the inside of the receptacle means and the compartment, together withan evaporation of water in the receptacle means of small proportions as compared with that from an open reccptacle, such evaporation being of the order of one five-hundredth, by weight, of the maximum vegetable contents of the covered receptacle in a twenty-four hour period.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a refrigerating compartment, a refrigerating element in the compartment for being maintained at a temperature below 32 F. and for inducing a circulation of air in the compartment, a shelf in the compartment permitting the circulation of air therein, and receptacle means for preserving vegetables including a pan, a slideway beneath and supported by the shelf for receiving the pan, a cover for the pan, said receptacle means having a ventilating opening therein to permit circulation of air between the interior thereof and the refrigerating compartment, said ventilating opening being restricted and so constructed and arranged as to provide within the receptacle means and in the presence of vegetables a humidity and restricted ventilation condition of the air suitable for the preservation of such vegetables.

8. A refrigerating apparatus comprising means forming a food compartment and refrigerating means arranged for operation at a temperature below 32 F. for cooling the air circulating within said compartment, a shelf in said compartment, receptacle means supported by said shelf and in the path of the circulating air to be cooled thereby, said reeeptable means comprising a pan portion, a cover portion therefor and provisions for restricted air circulation between the compartment and the interior of the re ceptaele means whereby to provide within the latter a condition of moisture equilibrium for foods stored therein, substantially as described.

4. A refrigerating apparatus of the character described, comprising a food compartment, a receptacle comprising generally a rectangular pan having upright side walls terminating in out-turned flanges, a rectangular cover for said pan having a flange to receive the upper edge portions of the pan, and supporting means in said compartment for the receptacle comprising parallel slideways adapted to engage the under surfaces of said out-turned pan flanges, said cover flange being cut away at the corners to permit sliding movement of the cover. and pan along the 'slideways without interference by the cover.

5. In a. refrigerating apparatus of the character described, including "fa food compartment, a receptacle comprising generally a rectangular pan having upright side walls terminating in outwardly-and downwardly turned flanges to provide a grove at its margin, a rectangular cover for said pan having a flange to receive the upper flanged portions of the pan. and supporting means for the receptacle comprising parallel slideways adapted to engage the under surfaces of said out-turned pan flanges, said pan flanges being cut away-at the corners to remove interference between the down-turned portions thereof and said slideways when the receptacle is slid upon the slideways.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus of the character described, a. receptacle comprising generally a rectangular pan having upright side walls terminating in out-turned flanges, a rectangular cover for said pan having a downwardly formed portion providing a groove about its margin to receive said flanged portions of the pan, a lip formed on the out-turned flange of the pan at the front thereof to provide a handle for pulling out the receptacle, and the front corners of said cover being cut away to facilitate the cover being slid backward relatively to the pan. 7. In a refrigerating apparatus of the character described, comprising a compartment, a removable receptacle for food storage in said compartment and means supporting said receptacle for sliding movement within said compartment, said receptacle including a pan and a cover therefor movable relative to one another, and a bumper carried by said pan for engagement with the wall of said compartment when the pan is slid thereagainst.

8. A refrigerating apparatus comprising means forming a food compartment and refrigerating means arranged for operation at a temperature below 32 F. for cooling the air circulating within said compartment,

said compartment being providedwith devices for supporting food in horizontal layers vertically spaced from each other, and receptacle means for preserving vegetables including a covered pan, a slideway for receiving the pan and for supporting said pan immediately above one of said devices, said slideway being supported independent- 1y of the device immediately above which the pan is supported, and provisions for restricted air circulation between the compartment and the interior of the receptacle means whereby to provide within the latter a condition of moisture equilibrium for foods stored therein, substantially as described. I

9. refrigerating apparatus comprising a food compartment, horizontal food shelves within said food compartment, a horizontal wall forming the bottom wall of the lining of said food compartment and forming with said shelves devices for supporting food in horizontal layers vertically spaced from each other, refrigerating means arranged for operation at a temperature below 32 F. for cooling the air circulating within said compartment, receptacle means in said compartment'for preserving vegetables including a covered pan supported above one of said devices and independently thereof to leave a free space between said pan and the said one of said devices, and provisions for restricted air circulationbelie 

